Understanding People with Disabilities
This information is intended to provide an overview of Case Western Reserve University's policies and services as related to members of the university community with disabilities. It is not meant to be a comprehensive explanation of the requirements of the American Disabilities Act of 1990.
Reasonable Accommodations
The university must reasonably accommodate otherwise qualified individuals with a disability, unless such accommodation would pose an undue hardship. The ADA considers an undue hardship as a "significant difficulty" or "expense" when considered in light of such factors as the overall resources of the facility and the impact of the accommodations on other employees. When the cost of a requested accommodation would impose an undue hardship, the individual should be given the option of paying the undue hardship portion of the cost.
Employers are only required to make a reasonable accommodation to the "known" disabilities of an applicant/employee. It is up to the applicant/employee to make the university aware of the need for such an accommodation. However, if a supervisor realizes an employee is having difficulty performing the job because of a disability, the employer may raise the possibility of a reasonable accommodation.
If an applicant or an employee requests an accommodation, contact the department of Human Resources or the office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity for further guidance. Examples of reasonable accommodations:
- Making existing facilities readily accessible
- Job restructuring
- Modified work schedules
- Reassignment to a vacant position
- Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices
- Adjusting or modifying exams, training materials or policies
- Providing readers and interpreters
- Providing personal assistants to help with specified job duties
- Allowing an individual with a disability to provide and use equipment, aids, or services.
Reasonable accommodations also include modifications or adjustments that enables an employee with a disability to enjoy benefits and privileges of employment equally with able-bodied coworkers, such as access to break rooms, lunch rooms, rest rooms, training facilities, gyms, and transportation. |
